Herbs, perennial. Stems erect or ascending, usually striate, 50–150 cm, usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely uncinate-pubescent or pilose. Leaves trifolio­late; stipules usually persistent, narrowly ovate or subulate, 10–20 mm; petiole 40–70 mm; leaflet blades ovate to broadly ovate, apex sharply acuminate to shortly cuspidate, surfaces glabrous (except veins spreading-villosulous); terminal blade 50–120 × 30–70 mm, length 1.5–3 times width. Inflorescences branched; rachis densely uncinate-pubescent to rarely glabrescent; primary bracts conspicuously covering apex of inflorescences, narrowly ovate, 8–14 mm. Pedicels 4–8 mm, densely patent uncinate-puberulent and sparsely pilose. Flowers: calyx 3–4 mm, glabrate, margins sparsely ciliate, lobes pilose, tube 1.5–2 mm; abaxial lobes 3–4 mm, lateral lobes 2–3 mm; corolla purple, 8–12 mm. Loments: sutures dentate abaxially, sinuate adaxially; connections adaxial, 1/2 as broad as segments; segments (1–)4–7, obliquely narrow-rhombic or suborbiculate, (7–)9–11 × 4–5 mm, angled abaxially, slightly convex adaxially, sparsely uncinate-puberulent, sutures densely uncinate-puberulent; stipe 1–2.5 mm.

Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Rich, moist woodlands, thickets, openings, dry, rocky woodlands, ruderal areas.
Elevation: 0–1000 m.

Distribution

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Ont., Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

In Texas, Desmodium cuspidatum is known only from Bowie County, at the northeastern corner of the state.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.